


Outstanding

by violenttulips



Series: Eighth Year Oneshots [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cuddling, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Epilogue Compliant, eight year AU, newts, sick/comfort, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:42:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29719455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violenttulips/pseuds/violenttulips
Summary: Draco gets sick right before their N.E.W.T.'s, and, for the first time in his life, it can't be immediately remedied by Potions. Good thing he has an incredibly attentive boyfriend to get him through that, and anything else that life might throw at them.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Series: Eighth Year Oneshots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2173599
Comments: 12
Kudos: 111
Collections: Drarry26





	Outstanding

"There's really nothing more I can do for you, Mr. Malfoy. I'm sorry. Potion-Resistant illnesses just have to run their course. You can go back to your room if you like. Get plenty of rest and fluids!"

She shoos him toward the door.

"But—" he sneezes into his elbow three times in a row, cutting himself off.

"Straight to bed with you."

"Okay."

With a resigned sigh, Draco trudges up to the third floor and through the Eighth Year Common Room to his (and unofficially Harry's) bedroom and flops onto the bed, face-first, with a pathetic whine. He certainly doesn't _intend_ to fall asleep like that, still fully-dressed in his school robes...but he does.

Several hours later, Harry bursts into the room. Draco lifts his head to look at him, his brain feeling strangely foggy.

"Draco, there you are! Are you okay? You didn't come back for classes and you looked—" Harry touches his cheek, then his forehead. "Oh Merlin, you're burning up. Didn't you go to the Hospital Wing?"

"Potions-Resistant Influenza," Draco groans. "Madam Pomfrey said there's nothing she can do. I just have to 'rest and drink fluids.'"

Harry brushes his sweaty hair off of his forehead. "I'm so sorry. That's—"

"It's shit, is what it is!" Draco interrupts, "We have N.E.W.T.s in _three days_! What am I going to _do?"_

Harry smiles and touches his face again. "Rest and drink fluids, so that you can be better before then," he says firmly.

Draco is _not_ pleased by this answer, as is evidenced by his very pronounced pout. "I need to study, Harry. This is _important_."

"Not today. Not until you're feeling better. C'mon, let's get you out of your school robes."

Draco looks down at himself, confused. "Oh...I thought I took those off."

Harry smiles and shakes his head. "You really _are_ a bit delirious right now, aren't you? Do you want a bath?"

"Hmm. Are _you_ coming in?"

Harry chuckles softly. "Not this time, but I'll help you."

Draco pouts again, and then he shivers. His body shifts from scorching hot to freezing cold in a flash, and he panics. "Harry!"

"What?"

"I'm cold!"

Harry stares blankly at him.

"I was too hot and now I'm freezing! What the fuck is happening? I'm _dying_!"

Harry doesn't look nearly upset enough, Draco thinks, considering the situation.

"You have chills?"

"Is _that_ what this is? I hate it!"

"You've never had a fever before?"

Draco sneezes and summons a tissue from the bathroom to wipe at his nose. "Not for longer than a few minutes! That's what _Potions_ are for!"

Harry tries to cover another laugh with his fist, snorting inelegantly into his hand. "Alright, let's get you in the tub."

"Yes, _let's_ ," Draco raises a suggestive eyebrow.

Harry rolls his eyes again, leaving Draco on the bed to go fill up the bathtub.

"You're impossible," he says when he comes back to fetch him a few minutes later, and Draco wraps himself around him with a grip like Devil's Snare.

"Impossibly good looking, you mean," Draco retorts. His attempt at flirting dampened slightly by another sneeze.

Harry guides him into the bathroom and helps him out of his clothes and into the hot water that smells strongly of peppermint.

Draco sighs in relief, tipping his hair under the water for a moment before sitting up and leaning his head back against the edge of the large clawfoot tub.

Harry leaves the room for a minute, coming back in casual clothes, his school robes discarded. He conjures a stool and sits down beside the tub, running a hand through Draco's wet hair.

Draco tilts his head back and sighs. Harry runs his hands through Draco's hair again, over his neck, down his shoulders, over his collarbone, then back up into his hair.

"You should keep your distance, you know. You could end up sick in bed beside me."

"I don't get sick much," Harry grins, continuing the soothing motions of his hands. "Injured, sure. But not sick. I'm not too worried. And if I do, it'll be worth it. I like taking care of you."

"Okay."

Draco doesn't quite know what to make of that. He hasn't been 'taken care of' in years. His mother loves him, he knows that, but she's not exactly _maternal_. Not since he was a boy. But Harry, despite having no caring figures at all until he was eleven, is the most loving and physically affectionate person he knows.

"What are you thinking about?"

"How unbelievably hot you are."

Harry flicks water at his face. "Shut up, you are not."

"Hm. Guess you'll never know."

Harry strokes his fingers over Draco's cheek. "Fine, keep your secrets. How are you feeling now?"

"Miserable," Draco sniffs. "A little sleepy."

Harry clicks his tongue sympathetically. "I'm sorry. D'you want to go to bed?"

"Yeah."

"Let me go get you some clothes, okay?"

Harry comes back with clean pajamas and boxers and helps Draco into them, then leads him over to the bed and under the covers.

"Thanks, love."

"Take another nap," Harry murmurs, "I'm going to get dinner from the kitchen for us, and you can eat whenever you wake up, okay?"

•••••

Draco sleeps straight through the night, waking to Harry's soft snoring beside him as sunlight trickles through a crack in the curtains. Harry is facing away from him, but Draco can see the movement of each slow breath in his back.

Taking stock of his senses, Draco's nose is still stuffy, and his head feels...like it might explode. He whines softly, then winces apologetically when Harry stirs.

"Y'alright?" Harry slurs, summoning his glasses and rolling over.

"Fine. Sorry."

"You're not. What's wrong?"

"Headache."

"Do we have any Pain-Relief Potion? Would it help?"

 _We_. The sound of that never ceases to thrill Draco, even when he's sneezing into his elbow again, sniffling miserably.

"I don't know, but we're all out. You used it all after taking that Bludger in the last Quidditch game."

"Oh. Right, sorry. Okay, be right back."

Before Draco can fully process what he means, Harry has rolled out of bed, pulled on his trainers, and slipped from the room.

•••••

"Your concern for your boyfriend is admirable, Mr. Potter, but I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do. Give him the Pain-Relief Potion for his headache, no more than one vial every six hours, it might help a little bit, but the typical flu remedies just won't work. I'm sorry."

Harry sighs and tugs the door open. "Okay."

"Oh! And Harry," she fetches a few more vials and holds them out. "Hydration Potions. Once a day for the next three days. They won't help with symptoms, but they should help him feel better faster."

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey."

"Of course, dear boy," she smiles kindly for a moment before a stern look crosses her features, "and no kissing until he's better! Or you'll end up sick, too!"

Harry laughs and lets the door swing shut behind him without answering.

•••••

Harry returns with breakfast and Pain-Relief and Hydration Potions, and he barely leaves Draco's side all weekend. He brings endless bowls of chicken noodle soup from the kitchen, and forces Draco to rest, reading his notes to him and quizzing him when he insists on studying in spite of his illness.

By the time Monday morning rolls around, Draco almost feels like himself again. He takes his N.E.W.T.s over the course of the next three days, and feels like he's been holding his breath for the entire time until he walks out of his last exam and lets out a heavy sigh.

Exhausted, he makes his way through the crowded hallways, hoping Harry's exams went well and wondering where he might be. Too tired to think, he heads for his bed.

Draco finds Harry in their room, tugging a soft t-shirt over his head. He's already tossed his robes aside and changed into his favorite pair of joggers. He beams when he sees him. "Hey! How did Arithmancy go?"

"Fine, I think. I'm just glad they're finally over," Draco sighs, throwing his robes over Harry's on the chair. "I feel like I could sleep for a week."

Harry climbs under the covers and scoots all the way over to make room for him. "I don't know about a week, but you've definitely earned a nap."

Draco changes into his own pajamas and crawls in after him.

"You've been unbelievably sweet these past few days," Draco sighs, cupping Harry's cheek.

Harry smiles and pulls him closer, an arm wrapping over his waist. "How are you feeling? With N.E.W.T.'s behind us, we only have one more week left at Hogwarts."

Draco nods and chews his lower lip. He's been trying not to think about that.

"And after that, I have to go take care of some things at Grimmauld Place..."

"And I'm expected to move back into the Manor."

"Right, so—"

Draco turns his face into the pillow so that Harry won't see his tears. So this is it, then.

"Draco, wait. Why're you—? Are you _crying?_ "

"Of course I am!" Draco snaps. "I mean, I don't blame you, this isn't sustainable after we leave, is it? With your fame and my family, and our history, how would we even...No, you're right. We should probably quit while we're ahead, before things get..."

Draco glances at him, and Harry looks mortified, his mouth hanging open. He chokes out a horrified, " _Draco_."

"It's okay, Harry. I understand." Draco turns away again, heart pounding painfully against his chest.

"That isn't—" Harry sucks in a breath, closes his eyes for a moment. "That isn't what I was saying at _all_ , Draco! I was trying to work up the nerve to ask if we could, um. Look for a flat together. After we get settled." Harry's voice breaks, and Draco can hear his tears even though he's not looking at him. "I wasn't planning on... Do _you_ want to break up?"

"No," Draco sniffles, wiping at his eyes. "But I thought _you_ would. It won't be easy for us out there, and I wasn't sure you would think it was worth the trouble."

Harry's eyes flash dangerously. "Not worth the... So, all this time, even though I told you I _loved_ you, you've thought this was, what? Just a _fling_ for me? Something that wouldn't last past Hogwarts?"

Draco shrugs, still not looking at him, and Harry snaps. He takes him by the shoulders and forces him to meet his blazing expression. "I _love_ you," he grits out through clenched teeth, "you fucking _idiot_. I don't want to end this, I don't want to be away from you for a second, _I love you_ —"

Draco sobs and pulls him into a tight hug. "I love you, too."

"Don't scare me like that," Harry huffs, trailing a hand through Draco's hair.

"You really want to live together?"

"We sort of already live together," Harry laughs, looking around at the room they've shared for over a month.

"I guess that's true."

Harry squeezes him tighter. "You're stuck with me, Malfoy. I'm not going anywhere."

Draco pulls back to look at him again, eyes shining. "Promise?"

"Promise. Just the thought of being apart for a few weeks after we get off the train is torture."

"We can start looking for a new place right away," Draco says with a soft smile.

"I know it won't be easy out there, with the eyes of the entire Wizarding World on us," Harry murmurs, running a thumb over Draco's cheek. "But I do think it'll be worth it."

Draco leans forward and presses their lips together in a slow, sweet kiss. After a long moment, Harry sighs contentedly and slides down the bed just enough to tuck his head under Draco's chin.

"Nap?"

"Hm. Definitely," Draco yawns.

They're both nearly asleep when Harry sneezes. Once, twice, three times into the sleeve of his t-shirt. "Noooo."

Draco laughs and kisses his forehead. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

•••••

_Three Months Later_

Harry looks around at the piles of boxes that fill the small but clean flat, heart so full he fears it might burst.

Draco steps through the Floo and sets a box on top of one of the piles, wiping at his brow. "That's the last of it from the Manor."

Harry sweeps him into a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Gross. Release me this instant, you brute. I need a shower!"

"So do I," Harry laughs, "we'll get to that, but first I just want to—"

"Crush me to death in our new living room?"

"No, hug you, you prat." Harry loosens his hold, laughing again, and presses a kiss to his pout. "Alright, let's go shower. And then, I was thinking..." He slides his hands down Draco's back to cup his bum. "We should break in our new bed."

"That sounds acceptable," Draco grins wickedly, "Although, I won't be satisfied with anything less than an 'Exceeds Expectations.'"

"Oh, I intend to earn an 'Outstanding,' tonight," Harry snickers, shamelessly groping Draco's arse. "Gorgeous boyfriend of mine, who got straight O's on his N.E.W.T.s."

Draco flushes, biting his lip over a smile. "Stop bringing that up. It's embarrassing."

"Never. I'm so damn proud of you," Harry kisses his cheek again. "I love you."

Draco pulls him into another tender kiss. "And I love _you_. I never could have done it without you."

Harry shakes his head. "No, that was all you. You spent the entire year preparing. If anything, I was a distraction."

"Hm." Draco kisses him again. "A very _good_ distraction."

"An... _outstanding_ distraction?" Harry grins.

"Merlin, Potter, that was bad, even for you," Draco laughs, tugging him by the hand. "Let's go take that shower."

And as Harry follows, hands bracketing his hips, lips pressed to the back of his neck, Draco thinks about how weird it is to be grateful for that night when Harry found him on the floor, broken more than just physically, and took him to the Hospital Wing, starting everything that has happened between them, but he is.

He's grateful for that night, and for every moment since, because now his life with Harry is absolutely brilliant. Marvelous. Incredible. Wonderful.

 _Outstanding_.


End file.
